Died in Your Arms Tonight
by Namacub95
Summary: Slight AU. Another tragedy during the Battle of Hogwarts. The last moments of Luna's life were spent in Neville's arms.


**Died in Your Arms Tonight**

The sound of the battle pounded in Luna's eardrums. Shouts, screams of both pain and anger and the flashes, hisses and bangs of spells as they whirred past and collided with both people and the building overwhelmed Luna's senses. Her wand was gripped tightly in he hand, her white knuckles contrasting with the dark wood.

She had to find Ginny and Neville.

An explosion shook the ground beneath her pounding feet and she raised her arms to protect her head from flying debris. She didn't stop running. She had to keep going. She had to help her friends.

Sweat beaded on her forehead, the coolness made her body shake. Her grey eyes darted from person to person, desperate for a sight of dark brown or fiery red hair.

She screamed hexes and jinxes as she flew past. She didn't know whether she had hit friend or foe, she didn't stop to check. She kept running, ducking and weaving in, out and around the other combatants.

Up the marble staircase, around corners, passing many people but not the ones she was searching for. Where were they? A horrible thought crossed her mind that they could be already dead.

_No_. Luna clamped down on this thought. _They're still alive. Have faith. You'll find them soon._

She rounded another corner and stood still in horror.

There, on the floor and writhing in the agony only a Cruciatus curse could bring, was Neville. Luna's mind stopped. She couldn't tear her eyes away from her friend and she couldn't move. She stood still in fear and shock.

Neither Neville, nor the Death Eater currently torturing him, saw her. She was afforded some protection by the corner but she was sure that Neville's eyes past over the spot where she stood frozen.

Eventually the Death Eater relented, if only for a moment, and Neville flopped on the ground. Only then did she get a good look at exactly who it was. Bellatrix Lestrange.

"Your parents were idiots just like you, Longbottom. They were weak. They didn't deserve to exist in this world - in the Dark Lord's world. Now I'll finish what I should have done all those years ago."

Bellatrix raised her wand, Luna knew what she was going to do and a burst of energy released her from her frozen state.

Luna barrelled forward, her hand outstretched to stop Bellatrix. Neville's eyes snapped to her and they widened.

"No!" He yelled but it was too late. Luna's hand covered the tip of Bellatrix's wand just as she finished her incantation.

A flash of light, a yell of agony, and both Luna and Bellatrix were thrown back. Bellatrix bounced off the stone wall with a sickening snap and then fell limp, her neck broken by the impact. Luna hit the opposite wall, her back absorbing most of the impact with a loud crack before Luna too fell, like a rag doll, to the ground.

There was a moment of complete silence before Neville managed to scramble her to where Luna lay face down on the ground, surrounded by a rapidly growing pool of her own blood.

"Luna!" he he turned her around and almost yelled in shock at the damage she'd taken. Lacerations were all over her body, all very deep, cutting through her clothes to reveal the pale skin marred by a large gash beneath.

"N-Neville?" Was the whispered reply. Neville gave a jerky nod. She was still alive, although for how much longer he didn't know.

"We have to get you out of here." he declared, shifting so he could lift her bridal style. Madame Pomfrey had to be somewhere, she'd heal Luna. Luna was going to be fine.

"Wait!" Luna gripped his arm to stop him "You're not going to make it on time...Neville...I'm dying. I'll be gone by the time you would reach Madame Pomfrey."

"No." Neville shook his head "You're not dying. You're going to be fine."

"Neville." his name came out as a hiss of pain as he tried to shift her "Neville. Please...don't. I'm not going make it. Please...just listen."

Neville looked down at Luna; her skin was growing paler because of the blood oozing out of her wounds. He knew she couldn't make it but he refused to let her die. She just saved his life, he would save her's. Her grey eyes were large and pleading and for a second he relented. His arms slackened and he merely held her off the floor and close to his chest.

"I was looking for you." she admitted, her voice so soft that her words almost sounded like breaths "I thought we were all going to die tonight...I had to talk to you...just once. Then I saw her, what she was doing to you. I-I could think. I didn't think. I-I just s-stood there."

Luna was starting to choke on her words, Neville could feel the tears wetting his shirt but ignored it. He rubbed soothing circles on her back.

"I-I couldn't let her k-kill you. I-I w-wouldn't...I had to save you...you've s-saved me so many times from the Carrows. I never got a c-chance to thank you."

"You didn't have to." Neville murmured soothingly, trying to fight back his own emotions "You're my friend."

"I-I know...but I...I j-just did it. I r-ran in front of her and..."

Luna trailed off and she shit her lip to stop herself yelling out in pain, her back arched and Neville quickly said.

"Luna we have to get you help."

"No!" she begged "Please, stay with me...just until I'm sleeping. Please. It doesn't hurt anymore, Neville...stay with me. Just until I'm asleep."

Nevile shut his eyes for a moment before he gave a small nod. They both knew that when she 'fell asleep' she wouldn't wake. Neville didn't know what to do other than agree. She saved his life, it was the least he could do for her.

"Ok." he said. He shifted his position so he was sitting cross-legged and cradling Luna.

"It's raining Neville...can't you feel it." Luna breathed. Neville didn't have the heart to tell her that they were indoors.

"Yeah, I feel it."

"I love the rain." Luna smiled despite the pain "It makes the flowers grow...it won't hurt me...it's washing everything away...starting everything over."

Neville nodded at her words, not trusting himself to say anything. He wanted her final minutes to be happy ones.

"D'you remember...it was raining when we started the D.A again...everything was starting over again. It was washing away the Carrows...making everything nice again."

Neville felt the tears welling in his eyes at her words "Yeah. I remember...I remember."

"You know...I think I'm a little bit in love with you, Neville Longbottom." Luna's voice was even fainter, breathing was becoming a hard task but she had enough strength left in her to push herself up enough to brush Neville's lips with her own before falling limp in his arms.

Neville hugged her still body close to his chest and wept bitterly. She was gone.


End file.
